Before you had kids, dining out was fun, wasn’t it? Sharing an appetiser or sipping a chic cocktail with quiet, interesting conversation was the ideal way to spend a Friday evening. Enter children; enter chaos. It’s no wonder many parents choose cheese on toast at home over venturing out with the smallest family members. Eating out with one child can be an adventure, to put it politely. Kids, particularly those under five, have few social graces. Their voices are consistently set to ear-piercing volume. They eat with their hands. They throw things. They’re… kids.
That said, no one wants to eat every meal at home, and children can be pretty great company. With age-appropriate planning, a lovely dinner out is, indeed, possible. The key, with all things child related, is preparation. Take the time to pack an awesome bag, pick a kid friendly restaurant and go over the ground rules and you’ll spend far less time playing referee.
Pack It Up
A well-planned bag of tricks, Mary Poppins style, can save your dinner and your sanity. Before heading out to a restaurant, think like an activities director. If your oldest loves to colour, grab some crayons and plain paper. It doesn’t need to be elaborate to work. Save a few special markers for “restaurant time” only – the novelty works, at least for a while.
A few new, small toys will help keep your children’s attention. New is fun, and this is true whether you’re 2 or 20. Snacks can also help keep the peace, particularly if the food is slow to arrive. Pick a few favourites and a special treat for a post-successful-dinner reward.
Pick It Well
Some dining venues simply aren’t tailored to children. And sure, while you can and should be able to eat anywhere you’d like, no one wants to be met with snarky glares and sideways glances. A swanky steakhouse probably isn’t the best place to take a three-year old and an infant, regardless of your sudden, undeniable desire for filet mignon. If a restaurant doesn’t have highchairs, they’re sending a message.
If the restaurant accepts reservations, make one. Waiting breeds antsy discontent, and if you have a one-hour window of infant naptime during which you can enjoy relative quiet, don’t waste it waiting for a table. Choose a child-friendly establishment for the most low-stress experience, a place where it won’t matter if your kid shrieks or if the baby wails.
Pace Yourself
Work your way up the restaurant food chain. You can start at home by cultivating table manners on a day-to-day basis. Head to a fast-food eatery next, practising and expecting the same good manners. Before you know it, you’ll be savouring delightful meals at restaurants that the whole family can enjoy. The key is teaching the difference between what is expected and what is demanded, and different families have vastly different dining rules. Determine what behaviour is acceptable and work toward that.
Eating out with kids can be great fun for everyone, so long as expectations are clear, boundaries are set and needs are met. Packing a bag, practising positive behaviour and treating restaurant excursions as a reward can pave the way for a genuinely relaxing eating-out experience.
